Microsoft Kinect used as an augmented reality sandbox (video)

A new video has surfaced demonstrating the Microsoft Kinect used as an augmented reality sandbox. Using the depth capabilities of the Kinect, along with a projector, a sand pit is turned into a virtual environment with a real-time colored topographic map.

“Video of a sandbox equipped with a Kinect 3D camera and a projector to project a real-time colored topographic map with contour lines onto the sand surface. The sandbox lets virtual water flow over the surface using a GPU-based simulation of the Saint-Venant set of shallow water equations. We built this for an NSF-funded project on informal science education. These AR sandboxes will be set up as hands-on exhibits in science museums, such as Lawrence Hall of Science or the Tahoe Environmental Research Center,” the video description reads.